Campfire Chat: Full Nest, Full Heart, Full Circle
🎧 On in the Background
This week, my favorite soundtrack hasn’t been a podcast or playlist—it’s been the sound of my house filled with “kids" again. My oldest and his girlfriend are visiting from Maine, my other son and daughter came home (they live in South Carolina and are both about an hour away), and suddenly I’m back to a full nest. The talking, the laughing, the sheer presence of all of them under one roof? Music to my ears. Even though they’re adults now, the noise brings me right back to the best kind of chaos.
📖 On My Nightstand
Okay, confession: my actual “reading” pile is about squirrels. Yup, squirrels. Henry and Harry, the two baby squirrels I’m rehabbing, are growing fast—bottles, Cheerios, apples, the whole buffet. They’ve turned me into a full-on squirrel nerd, flipping through every article and guide I can find. Rodents get such a bad rap, but I swear, these little guys will change your mind. (And yes, I’ll have more squirrel facts for you in future Field Trip editions. You’ve been warned.)
🥾 On the Ground
We’re building the “big kid” enclosure for Henry and Harry—branches, pinecones, nooks to climb and leap from. They’ve been living in totes since before they opened their eyes, but now it’s time for squirrel boot camp. They’ll practice cracking nuts, leaping from branches, and basically doing all the things squirrels are born to do. Watching them graduate from helpless babies to wild and curious explorers? Pretty magical.
📍 Pinned to the Map
Several of the Field Trippers went disc golfing this week. Turns out, it’s a sneaky-fun way to get outside without needing a ton of gear. Some courses are free (like the one we went to at USC Aiken), discs are relatively cheap and easy to find secondhand, and the game is surprisingly addictive. Ethan and Amber—our resident disc golf pros—will share more soon, but for now I’ll just say: if you’re looking for a low-barrier outdoor hobby, give it a toss.
🏕 BasecampLiam and I finally drew some boundaries with our time—two nights a week are officially off limits for work. As two business owners with about seventeen spinning plates each, we’d fallen into the trap of working until we crashed. But now, those nights are sacred. Sometimes we do things together, sometimes separately, but always with intention. And funny enough, the more I unplug, the more productive and energized I feel when I plug back in.
🌿 On My Mind
Balance. I keep circling back to it—how easy it is to let work, caretaking, or just the endless daily “to-dos” eat up every inch of space in our lives. But when you make room for joy, play, or a quiet walk, suddenly everything else feels lighter.
📦 What’s in My Pack
Baby squirrels. Literally. They travel with me in a tote, complete with bottles, formula, Cheerios, and burp cloths. It’s basically a diaper bag reboot—something I haven’t carried in 18 years. They sleep through errands like champs, probably thinking the swaying bag is just a breezy nest. It’s funny, and a little full-circle, to be back in that rhythm again.
🎒 Packing Out
Rehabbing squirrels has been one of the most unexpectedly rewarding things I’ve done in a long time. It’s a good reminder that trying something new—especially something that makes you a little nervous—can open up a whole new corner of joy. And if you can help a tiny wild creature along the way? Even better.
About me
I’ve spent the last 15 years writing about the outdoors and conservation, often with muddy boots, dirt under my nails, and too many bug bites to count. I’m a certified Bee-Friendly Gardener, a Pollinator Steward, and a volunteer with those who care about conservation, wildlife, and treading lightly. I’m also a DarkSky Advocate and a proud member of the SC Native Plant Society, The 89 Percent Project, and 1% for the Planet. I volunteer with Wildlife Rehabilitation Group of South Carolina, specializing in rehabbing squirrels. My backyard wildlife habitat—certified by the National Wildlife Federation, Pollinator Partnership, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology—is a wild little résumé of its own. I started Field Trip for people who like to play outside. Thanks for being here with me.
